Minnow bucket



H. M. NELSON Dec. 5, 1939.

MINNOW BUCKET Filed March 8, 1938 Patented Dec. 5, 1939 it UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MINNOW BUCKET Howard M. Nelson, Louisville, Ky., assignor to Stratton & Terstegge 00., Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Kentucky Application March 8, 1938, Serial No. 194,652

2 Claims. (CI. 4356) The invention relates to minnow buckets and is it convenient but it tends to preserve the life has for its objects to provide certain new and of the minnows which are very delicate and do useful improvements in devices of this charnot live very long if permitted to flop around on a'cter. the bottom of the pail,

' 5 An important object ofthe invention is to pro- A further object of the invention is to provide vide a minnow bucket assembly including inner a minnow bucket assembly of the character deand outer pail members wherein the inner perscribed wherein the inset member or inner perforated pail member is provided with a float forate pail is countersunk within the outer imchamber built into the cover which provides for perforate pail member so as to absorb any splashmore even and uniform floating as well as a ns O W er o t e Outer p n e p 10 maximum capacity for minnows. member during transportation, the space pro- A further object of the invention is to provided by such countersunk construction providvide a device of the character described wherein so a space eeeemmedate Cracked the inner pail member or inset is constructed so Crushed e during transportation Which aids in as toprovide more convenient and complete 210- preserving e life of the minnows Within the 15 cess to the minnows, this being due t th ov perforate inner pail member. The construction assembly which permits the entire top of the of the instant minnow bucket assembly is also inner pail member or insert to be o e d, I such as to utilize all possible space within the prior known devices the inner pail m mb outer imperforate pail member containing the wherein a float chamber is provided, the l tter water which enters the perforations of the inner 20 is in the form of annular ring constituting a part p l member wherein minnows are contained, n of the top of the inner pail memb r, hi h also to permit the inner pail member to rest fiat duces the area of the hinged or removable cover, and in Contact W the bottom of the Outer P thereby rendering it more difficult to obtain commember, thereby augmenting the eCO O Y 0f plete and convenient access to the contained Space in the entire assembly 5 minnows. A still further object of the invention is to pro- A further object of the invention i t pr vide a minnow bucket assembly of the character vide a minnow bucket wherein the nature of the described w h m y b nv nie tly nd ofloat chamber of the inner removable pail memnomieelly manufactured With a minimum of her permits the entire side walls of the same Structural s- 0 to be constructed from hardware, cloth or any W h s ch bj s in V w s We as ot e punched metal, the entire surface of such side advantages Which y be incident to the use walls being available for punching t provide of the improvements, the invention consists in apertures which permit quicker and more comthe parts and combinations thereof hereinafter plete drainage when the insert is lifted from the set forth and Claimed With the understanding 35 outer pail member to permit quicker access t that the several necessary elements constituting the minnows, as well as desirable and more comthe same ay be va d n p p tions and arplete aeration of the contained minnows than rengement Without departing from t n t e is provided for in prior buckets of this character d s p of t invention s fin d in th apwherein at least a material portion of the side pended eleimswalls has been constructed of solid metal in order n o d r to ma e e invention more e rly to provide for the imperforate float chamber. understood there are shown in t a mpany- A further object of the invention is to provide s raw n m s r rry n the same into a minnow bucket construction wherein provision Practical effect, Without limiting the p veis made for conveniently removably locking the ments in their useful application t0 e p uinner perforated pail member t the out i lar constructions and arrangements which, for

perforate pail member when the respective elethe pu p s f p t n, hav b made the ments are partially disassociated from one anj c of illustration other so as to provide for more convenient access In a d d w to the minnows and also to permit the lower por- Fig. 1 is a view in central vertical section of the 50 tion of the perforated insert member to be iminner and outer pa members constituting e mersed in the water contained in the outside iminstant invention. perforate pail member. Such a construction and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same partially arrangement is necessary and desirable when broken away.

55, the minnows are being rapidly used. Not only Fig, 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a forate pail member of usual construction havingv portion of the side walls of the minnow bucket assembly illustrating the position of the inner and outer pail members when the former is elevated in respect to the latter for more convenient access to the minnows when in use.

In said drawing, I indicates the outer impera circumferential side wall In suitably double seamed or otherwise secured to an imperforate bottom member 2. The upper open end of the outer pail member I is preferably outwardlycurled as at 3 to provide a smooth reenforced annular head. The outer pail member I is further provided with the usual bail or handle member 3a engaging bail ears 3?) on the outer pail member to provide convenience in transportation. The inner perforate pail or insert member is shown at t and comprises a supplemental pail member of lesser diameter having a bottom portion 5 which may be imperforate and the outer circumferential side wall ia of which is completely perforated from top to bottom as indicated at G. The upper portion of the inner pail member 4 is provided with a peripheral reenforcing bead db. The inner perforate pail member is further provided with a cover member 1 of double thickness having upper and lower spaced walls to provide an intermediate air or float chamber 8 which constitutes the entire internal area of the cover member. Said cover member which constitutes the floating medium for the inner perforated pail member or insert is suitably hinged as at 9 to the body wall of the insert d. At the diametrically opposite portion of the insert member a spring latch I0 is provided and secured thereto having an offset portion H to removably secure the cover to the inner pail member. The inner pail member is further provided with a bail or handle if having a pivotal mounting It on the cover to permit the inner pail member to be conveniently lifted or removed from the outer pail l of the assembly.

An outwardly curled handle portion l3a of the spring latch in permits the cover of the insert to be released and also provides a spring tension bearing engagement against the inner wall of the outer pail member so as toremovably maintain the inner and outer pail members in engagement with each other and against displacement during transportation. The engagement of the portion l3 of the spring latch member Ill with the inner wall of the outer pail member serves to force the hinge member 9 of said inner memberagainst the diametrically opposite portion of the inner wall of the outer container I to maintain the inner and outer pail members against such rattling or bouncing during transportation.

The inner perforate pail member d is further constructed so as to rest flat on the bottom wall 2 of the outer imperforate pail member to completely utilize the space within the latter and also is of a slightly less vertical dimension so as to provide an upper space it which may be utilized to receive crushed or cracked ice indicated at E5 in Fig. 1, during transportation of the live minnows to the desired destination, to aid in prolonging the life of the minnows during seasonal weather conditions.

The inner perforate minnow containing pail member of the assembly further comprises one or more lug members it secured thereto, said lug having an oifset depending portion i! constituting a spring flange spaced outwardly from the wall of the insert and having a frictional engagement against the inner wall of the outer pail member when the bucket is assembled as shown in Fig. 1, for purposes of transportation. When the minnow bucket is utilized under fishing conditions it is preferable and convenient to partially elevate the inner pail member from the bucket so as to permit release of the spring latch member IE to provide access to the minnows, and to this end the portion I! of the lug member i6 is utilized to support the inner pail member in partially elevated position by engagement of a shoulder E8 of the same with the annular curl or bead 3 at the upper end of the outer pail member. This partially disengaged relation of the inner and outer pail members is shown in Fig. 3 and permits convenient access to the minnows within the insert member while at the same time insuring a sufiicient amount of water at the lower portion of the inner pail member to sustain the life of the minnows.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the invention provides an economical and convenient minnow bucket assembly wherein provision has been made for full and complete minnow capacity within the perforated insert member as well as complete aeration of the latter. This is due to providing the float chamber wholly contained within the cover member of the insert which insures even and uniform floating of the insert when desired. The invention further provides means 13c, l B for frictionally retaining the insert member within the outer pail to insure against relative displacement or rattling during transportation, and the cover member of the insert constitutes the entire top portion of the latter, thereby providing for more convenient access to the minnows as compared to prior buckets wherein the cover member of the insert is of materially less diameter due to provision for the former annular floating chamber in the body portion of the insert. By constructing the insert of less vertical dimension than the outer pail member a space is provided for the reception of ice which promotes the desirable advantages of the minnow bucket while in use. The construction is such that all possible space within the outer minnow bucket is utilized for the reception of the perforated insert member. It is of course understood that the outer imperforate pail member 5 serves to contain the water which enters through apertures 6 in the insert member to maintain a constant level of the water in the latter so as to provide means for transporting and containing live minnows within the insert member or pail 4.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a minnow bucket the combination of an outer pail member and an inner pail member removably insertable therewithin, said inner pail member having an offset element thereon including a depending'portion adapted to frictionally engage the inner wall of said outer pail member to yieldably maintain said members against relative displacement when in telescoped position, said depending portion being adapted to engage over the upper open end of said outer pail member and against a part of the outer surface thereof to support said inner pail member above and in partially telescoped relation to said outer pail memher and to substantially restrain lateral movement of said inner pail member.

2. In a minnow bucket the combination of an outer imperforate pail member open at its upper end and a perforated inner pail member removably associated therewith, said inner pail member having a double walled hinged cover thereon constituting a float chamber, and a spring latch member normally holding said cover closed and yieldably engaging the inner wall of said outer pail member, said inner pail member further having an ofiset element on the outer wall thereof including a depending spring flange adapted to resiliently engage the inner Wall of said outer pail member to cooperate with said spring latch member in yieldably maintaining said members against relative displacement when in telescoped position, said depending flange being adapted to engage over the upper open end of said outer pail member and against a part of the outer surface thereof to support said inner pail member above and in partially telescoped relation to said outer pail member and to substantially restrain lateral movement of said inner pail member.

HOWARD M. NELSON. 

